Early voting begins Monday in a special election to decide the fate of a 2-mill property tax increase approved last month by the Russellville City Council, but the ballot title could possibly confuse some voters.

Simply put, a "For" vote in the Nov. 30 special election means you support the tax increase. An "Against" vote means you oppose it.

Early voting in the election is being conducted at the Pope County Courthouse, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. this week and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. next week.

In raising property taxes by 2 mills - approved in Resolution 870 to establish city property taxes - Russellville aldermen repealed Resolution 842, an earlier property tax resolution that did not include the two extra mills.

The full ballot title begins: "A resolution repealing Resolution 842 levying millage taxes on all property in the city for the city of Russellville, Arkansas, for the Year 2004." It further defines what those rates will be.

Voters who intend to support the property tax increase may see the word "repealing" and inadvertently vote against the tax when they should have voted for it to implement the tax. Similarly, voters who want to repeal the City Council's tax increase may see the word "repealing" and inadvertently vote for the resolution, which would actually establish the new property tax.

The resolution also sets out that the 2-mill increase be established "for all city purposes." Aldermen have discussed using the money for employee salary increases.

More than 1,007 eligible voters signed petitions seeking to repeal the property tax after it was approved by the Russellville City Council last month.

The signature campaign came about after the Russellville City Council voted to raise city property taxes by two mills on Sept. 16. Mayor Raye Turner cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the tax increase, allowing it to pass.

Arkansas law allows for public referendums on specific issues within a city when signatures of 15 percent of number of voters who voted in the most recent general mayoral election are collected in support of the referendum. In this case, those seeking to repeal the council's tax needed 15 percent of the 6,711 who voted in the 2002 mayoral election, which amounted to 1,007.

Some associated with the signature drive said voters should have been consulted before such a property tax was re-established. City Council members did initially consider a public referendum but ultimately opted for to pass the tax increase on their own.

A 2-mill property tax increase would mean a $40 annual increase to city land owners for each $100,000 in property value, according to figures released by the city. It would raise more than $500,000 for the city to be used for general purposes.